Mold for concrete structures



May 29, 1923. 1,457,089

H. G. SELLMAN MOLD'FOR CONCRETE STRUCTURES Filect. 2, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 29, 1923. 1,457,089

H. G. SELLMAN MOLD FOR CONCRETE STRUCTURES Filed Oct. 2, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented May 29, 192-3.

UNTE

HENRY G. sELLM iv, on nnrnoln mionrenn.

MOLD non concnnrn srnuo'ronns' Application filed October 2, 919. Serial No. 327,872.

ToaZZ whomz't may concern:

Be it knownthat I, ,HENRY G. SELLMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Molds for OoncreteStructures, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyin drawings.

This invention relates to molds for concrete structures and more particularly to molds for circular hollow structures, such as silos, grain elevators, stacks and the like, and its object is to provide a simple and conveniently manipulated mold structure which is rigid and durable and which has simple and conveniently operable means for expanding and contracting the several sections comprising the mold. A further object is to provide certain other new and useful features in thefconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described.

,With' the above and other ends in view,the invention consists in the matters hereinafter more fully set forthand particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being hadto the accompanying drawlngs in which 1 v, V

Figure 1 is an end elevation or plan view of the upper end of ,a mold-illustrative of the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection, illustrative of the construction and lshowing two mold sections insuperposed relation a Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing-ex paneling and contracting mechanism forthe inner mold wall with adjacent portions of the mold walls in horizontal section;

Fig. 4 isa similar detail showing expanding and contracting mechanism for the outer mold wall; 7

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the ex panding and contracting mechan smrfor the inner mold wall; 1 a e Fig. 6 is a similar perspective detail showing a modified form of 'contractinga'nd expanding mechanism; and I p Fig. 7 is a sectional detail of a portion of a completed silo. k

As shown in the drawings, 1 indicates the outer circular wall of a mold, which wall, comprisesv a plurality of sections 2 prefer-- ably formedofsheet metalwith top and bottom strengthening channel irons 3 7 se and also vertical angle irons-asecured to said body surface and extending between cured to each ,bent sheet metalsection'or the top and bottom channels. The channel irons 3 and angle bars 4: thus form a strengthening and stiffening frame for each sheet metal sectionor body, 2secured upon the outer surface thereof, thus providing a plain inner mold wall surface to oppose the like surface of an inner circular mold wall 5 which is spaced therefrom and madeup of a plurality of sheetmetal s'ections" 0r sheets 6 similar to'the sections 2; of theouter wall, a

whichsections 6 are reinforced with top and bottom channel irons 7 and vertical angle bars 8 in a manner-similar to the outer wall. The mold thuscomprises parallel spaced circular walls each madeup, of a plurality of detachable sections havingplane inner surfaces and reinforced. upon {their outer surfaces, and, as shown in Fig; 2, a

plurality of these molds may. be used in superposed relation in building a silo,,grain; elevator or other tall tubularstructur'e, the

lower mold being adapted to. be detached and moved to'a position above those higher up as the concrete wall formed .betweenfthe moldwalls becomes hardened, thus enabling:

the progressive building concrete structures... U

To expand the outer moldfwall 1 andto contract the inner mold wall 5 so that the cement wall of the structure and then moved of tall cement or ,moldmay be disengaged. from the formed up to alternate with other molds :and form succeeding portions, of the cement structure," a guidlng and connect ng bar or member 9 is secured, within one. end of the channel bars 3 of the outer wall sections and a like connecting bar is secured within oneend of the channel bars 7 of each lnnerwall sec:

tion,the free ends of saidbars 9 I projecting into the adjacent open ends of the channel bars of an adjacent section'to slide freely therein but being-of a width to fit. within said channels which. thusform'guides for;

saidbars 9, said bar s. thus forming guiding and connecting members for adjacent sections and by their engagementlwithin" the channels, hold the sections in alignment while permitting free relative movement ,of'

the sections in the. contracting or expandingv movementsof the mold walls. redraw the ends of adjacent sections toward each other or force them apart, each bar 9 is made in the form of a rack bar or provided with teeth on its outer side to be engaged by a pinion 10, the two pinions for the upper and lower rack bars of each section, being secured upon the ends of a vertical shaft 11 which is mounted in suitable bearings 12 secured to the inner flanges of the ends of the channel bars 7 of the inner wall and the channel bars 3 of the outer. wall, withinwhich ends the racks slide. The racks are thus carried by one section and the pinions are mounted upori'the' adjacent section so that by turning the upper pinion of one of the pairs of pinioiissecuredto one of the shafts 11, the racks engaged with said pinions will be moved longitudinally, and the mold wall sections w'i'llbe "drawn toward each other or forced apart according to the direction in which the pinions aretu'rned by means of a suitable motor wrench (not shown) inserted in a rectangular bore of opening 13' in the upper earlier the upper pinion. To look, the sections in 'ezpfnded or contracted position, openings are provided in the flanges of the channel bars torecfeive pins 1 1 and 15, the pin 1&1 extending through the upper flange of'the lower channel into engagement with thelte'e'th of the rack and held by gravity, and the pin 15 extending upwardly through the lower flange of the upper channel and held in engagementwith the teeth of the rack by means of a spring 16 sleeved on the pin. The locking pins may be engaged with theracl: anysuitable manner as by provid n g an opening or notch in the rack or permitting the pins to engage the teeth as s 'f it Y Y VVhe'n'the inner wall sections are expanded into 'operativeposition, there is a space be tween their adjacent ends, this space being provided so that the sections may be contractedor moved toward'ea'ch other to permit the removal of the inner wall of the mbld fr m the molded concrete. wall. To close" this space, an apron 17 comprising a stripofsheet metal, .is provided to engage tlietinner surface of the wall sections and span the space between them. This apron is supported in operative position and at the.

same time strengthened against buckling undeifthe pressure of the concrete, by means of a longitudinal fstrip 18 secured to the apron at its middle portion, the strip being turned atriglit angles at its upper endto pilifidea lug 19 adapted to engage over the ra'fckban 9. The apron is thus suspended fromthe'iippei rack bar in proper position to "cover the gap between the adjacentends ofthewalllsections." I

When j a plurality of molds are, employed in; uni structure, these llllOlClS are s'iiper'posied arid i i-order that they? be aligned, openings are provided P' T F- 1 e in the flanges of the channel bars: 3 and 7 las /ps9 molds are in superposed relation and in position for building su'ccessiw portions of a concrete structure, in order that the racks and pinions of the lower mold maybe readily operated to expand or contract the wall sections and thus permit the removal of a lower mold and the raising of the same upwardly past the upper mold, the racks and pinions on the lower mold are preferably attached in a reverse position to those on the upper mold so that the gears 10 will be in sta ored relation to those carried by the upper mold and thus permit of the engagement of a suitable tool or wrench with the gears ofthe lower mold from a position above the upper mold.

In Fig. l the molds are shown as arranged? for building a concrete silo and in these structures t 1s desirableito form the concrete wall with a laterally extending into the interior of the structure, In order to term the wall w th such lateral projec} tions which are properly shaped to give the desired contour to the concrete wall. These sections 23 are connected in tl'ie's'ame' manner as the section 2 and are formed with a sheet metal body and reinforcing frame work ot channel bars and angle irons. The

same construction of mechanism for contract ng and expanding the sections is provided, comprising the rack bars and pinions.

The lateralchute forming the vertical pass age-way 2 1 is formed. by providing inner mold wall sections 25 which are similar m construction to the sections 5 and in a like manner are contracted and expanded by structure and further to' provide rods 01'' members extending across this opening which be used as" a ladder up which aperson may climb within the chute 24'. Angle bars 26 are set adjacent to theinne'rend of the wall formed by the sectibns 25' and these angle bars carry a series of'rod's' 27 having curved end portions 28 which lie within the concrete wall after the 'stmcmre isfornied' with the ends of the 'rods' p eject; ing through openings in the anglba'is 26' Po a providing a hollow flue or chute which opens i tionseth e outer mold wall 1 has separate's'e'c' and secured therein. The angle bars form a reinforcement for the concrete wall and at the chute 24. These angle bars 26 are held in place by the rods 27 which themselves are embedded in the concrete wall and extending across the chute 24L provide a further reinforcement andalso serve as the rungs of a ladder."

In Fig. '6 ofthe drawings, a modified construction of expanding and contracting mechanism is shown. A bar 29 extends across this space between the adjacent ends of the channel member 7 and is adapted to slide freely within said channel members at each'end. Intermediate its ends, this bar carriesa bearing member 30 for a screw shaft 31 which shaft engages nuts 32 pivotally attached as at 33 to the flanges of the channel members 7. Between suitable flanges 34 on the bearing member 30, is a nut or head 35 on the shaft 31 so that by turning this headwhich is secured to the shaft, the shaft is rotated and by reason of its screw-threadedv engagement with the,

nuts 32, the ends of the channel bars and therefore the two mold sections are moved toward or away from each other.-

By the construction shown, molds are provided by means of which a tall. structure of any desired. configuration may be made by alternatelymoving the molds topositions one abovethe other as the forming of the structure progresses upwardly, the operation of detaching and replacing the molds being facilitated by the arrangement of mechanism for contracting andv expanding the mold walls. cured by the constructionsho-wn and several molds may be used and held in perfect rigid alignment for the purpose of building up a concrete structure.

Obviously changes may be made in the 5 construction and arrangement of partswithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, andfI do not therefore limit myself to the particular construction or arrange ment of parts shown.

Havin thus fully describedmy invention, what I claim isr j 1. In amold for concretestructures, the

A very rigid mold structure is se combination of a plurality of wall sections, a horizontally disposed channel iron mem ber secured to each section, a guide member engaged within the channels of said chan-' nel member, a plate" overlapping the'edges of adjacent sections and suspended from said guide member and means for movingthe sections relatively toward and from each other.

2. Ina mold for concrete structures, the L combination of a 'pluarlity of wall sections eachcomprising a sheet metal'body and a .channeliron secured to the body at the upper and lower edges thereof, :a guide member.

spanning the space between adjacent sections and slidable within said channel members, a

plate overlapping the edges ofadjacent'sec space therebetween,

tions and closing the and longitudinally extending strengthening strip secured to each plate at the central portion thereof having an inbent end to engage the guide member, and means for moving the sections relatively toward and from each other.

3. In a mold for concrete structures, the

combination of a. plurality of wall sections each provided with a horizontally extendmg channel iron secured to the upper and lower edges thereof, guide bars slidable in i the channelsof the channel irons and-spanning the space betweenjadjacent sections,

plates overlapping the edges of adjacent sectlons in engagement with the inner surface of said s'ectionsmeans'for holding the plates ,lIl position relative t0 S&lCl-."SQCi3IOI1S, and

means for moving the sections relatively.

4c. In a mold for concrete structures, the combination of a plurality of superposed wall sectlons, channel irons secured to said sections along the upper and lower edges thereof, rack bars engaging the channel lrons of each section, pinions engaging the rack bars of each section, Vanda common shaft for the pinions of each section, the shaft of one section-being positioned out of alinement with the above and below.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

LEWIS E. FLANnERs',

shafts of the sections HENRY e; 'S'ELLMAN. f

. ANNA M. Donn, :27. i 

